DVTel Secures Airports for 2010 World Cup

South Africa has seen an unprecedented uptick in new and cutting-edge security technology being specified and installed as the country readies itself for a very exciting time, The FIFA World Cup being held in July 2010. Major new infrastructure projects to support regional development include new terminals and parking facilities at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg and Cape Town International Airport and a brand new airport in Durban, all facilities operated by Airport Company South Africa (ASCA).

Like many regional infrastructure stakeholders, ACSA has been preparing itself for increased traffic for the World Cup. While their main objective when laying out the project was to provide the best safety and security available for passengers and employees alike, they also had goals to improve airport operations - including reduced congestion, improved queue management, improved aircraft on-time departure performance and easier orientation for the travelling public. In addition to the new international airports and terminals, the expansion included a new international pier, terminal departure upgrades, a duty free mall extension and multi-storey parking expansion.

DVTel has been involved in supporting ACSA's efforts in all aspects of security and operations. DVTel's intelligent security management platform is installed at six airports within the Airport Company South Africa (ACSA), providing a unified solution that includes a combination of network cameras, IP video surveillance, IP access control and integrated third-party solutions. The synergy between the DVTel products creates an environment where the solutions are able to get the most out of each other because they have been designed and developed to work in a unified fashion.

Airport authorities chose DVTel's platform due to its flexibility in simultaneously transitioning legacy analog equipment and accommodating the latest IP technology, making it highly cost competitive while delivering superior management and camera image performance. It is the management platform for viewing, storing, and utilizing camera data from more than 1,000 cameras deployed throughout the airports. In addition to managing all video data over the airport network, several technology integrations have been implemented. Video is used for security and non-security applications, thus enabling surveillance technology to be used for multiple roles. The combined systems will be used extensively by both security and operations staffs.

"The new Cape Town terminal boasts an array of retailers, fast food outlets and restaurants as well as 120 checks in counters and a hi-tech surveillance room keeping an eye on the airport precinct via more than one thousand surveillance cameras," said Deon Cloete, ACSA Cape Town GM. "The project was a long time in the making, but at a dry run in November of last year, the new airports were ready to be opened to the public."

The airport has been very pleased with their total cost of ownership. For systems already available, legacy cameras were connected to the IP network using encoder technology. Also, the ability for both security and operations to benefit from one system allowed for money budgeted for operations to go to other activities.

The iSOC is integrated with video analytics equipped with people counting in the immigration area. It is important to keep an accurate count of who is coming in and out of the queue as well as when it is becoming congested or when there is a security breach or issue.

"Airport management was very clear that everything for security was going to IP technology, and it needed to go on the IT infrastructure," said David Petrook, DVTel MD for EMEA. "Our ability to handle existing analogue legacy equipment preserved the airport's investment and our level of service, support, and technology assured OR Tambo Airport management that we would be there throughout the process, at every stage, and that ACSA would have the foundations to provide the very best security for now and in the future."